5G & Teleoperation: Modern solution for Transportation issues

Highway rest areas are deserted, yet truck drivers are firmly holding the steering wheel from the comfort of their offices, while cargo safely crosses borders (and the limits of our imagination). This is exactly what the 5G-Blueprint Project aimed to achieve. The goal was to create a plan for teleoperated transport across Europe, using 5G to improve efficiency in logistics, maritime, and other transport sectors.

Our role in the project was just as diverse: implementing teleoperation on three different vehicles, integrating with partner technologies, and ensuring stable network connectivity at borders. In the meantime, we also came up with solutions for urgent changes that helped guide the project (remotely) to a successful completion.

Goals:

• Create a plan for teleoperated transport across Europe,
• increase efficiency and reliability (continuous operation with drivers rotating in shifts, minimising downtime, eliminating human errors, and monitoring the technical condition of vehicles),
• reduce operating costs (one operator can control multiple machines, and optimise routes to lower energy consumption),
• improve working conditions by eliminating long international trips, providing more flexibility as drivers move to office jobs, and reducing health and safety risks,
• provide sensor data (cameras, lidars) to support the activities of other project partners,
• integrate anti-collision to increase safety.

Challenges:

• Implement and adapt teleoperation for three different types of vehicles,
• connect teleoperation with autodocking technology,
• eliminate connection disruptions at country borders,
• utilise the potential of 5G coverage across EU borders.

Solution:

We implemented and tested teleoperation on three distinct vehicle types to demonstrate the versatility of the technology across various sectors.

To ensure stable 5G connectivity during border crossings, we used dual-SIM technology. This minimized delays by intelligently switching between two networks, ensuring continuous operation with minimal latency, and solving connectivity issues proven during control testing, where it previously took several minutes to find a new network and 8 to 20 seconds to restore the connection.

„Using two SIM cards that utilize both public and private networks can significantly increase reliability and assist in switching between networks when transitioning onto public roads. Roboauto has developed an intelligent algorithm capable of using both SIM cards if necessary, without consuming unnecessary data when private network coverage is sufficient.“

― Geerd Kakes, Technical Lead Fieldlabs at KPN

We also integrated auto-docking for autonomous parking, working with partners to guide vehicles into designated spots or cargo terminals seamlessly.

“Working with Roboauto has been an exceptional experience for us. Their expertise in developing teleoperation software, combined with their collaborative and friendly approach, has made them an invaluable partner. Together, we’ve successfully integrated their teleoperation technology into our vehicle systems and customer vehicles, creating seamless solutions.”

― Rakshith Kusumakar, Chief Technology Officer at V-Tron B.V.

Additionally, we helped the project to replace one of the original vehicles with a skid-steer loader, ensuring the project’s smooth continuation and successful completion after one of the partners dropped out.

Thanks to close cooperation, we were able to take remote control to a higher level and participate in the development of technologies that will belong to tomorrow.

If you’re interested in deploying teleoperation to your machine or need an innovative software development partner, reach out to us at info@roboauto.tech.